Young Blood
by anangelwithatardis
Summary: High School AU. Dean wants to hunt, but he's being forced into the public school system for a few weeks. He meets Castiel, a nerdy guy who has some family secrets of his own. Will this new found friendship turn into something more? Or will Dean leave Castiel in the dust?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first time writing Destiel and it's a High School AU. I'm not even sorry.

Whack! I shoved the door back into place as hard as I could. As much as it hurt me to possibly injure the Impala, it was worth the small rebellion against my dad. John leaned forward so that only his face was visible to me. "Look, Dean, we're only here for a bit. Try to enjoy it?" I crossed my arms in protest. He sighed, his shoulders sagging. I felt a brief twinge of guilt. "Just… Look after Sam." My promise to do so was lost in the roar of the engine as it pulled away.

I exhaled as I turned to find my charge. Sam had his nose buried in some book about World War II. I ruffled his mop of hair. "Come on, nerd. Let's go raise some hell." I smiled half-heartedly as I shoved him forward. Sam trudged forward. He hated starting new schools as much as I did. The first day was always the worst. Things would get better for Sam, though. They always did.

I wandered into first period with my bag slung lazily against my back. English with Mrs. Williams was to be my first torture everyday for the next two weeks. The old woman stood there appraising me, probably trying to figure out if I'd been there for the last two months. I pushed the note that would explain my sudden appearance into her hands. She adjusted her glasses and muttered what she was reading to herself. After what felt like a decade, she finally nodded in approval handed me my note back and gestured for me to sit wherever I please.

I hiked my bag higher on my back and began the long meander about the room, looking for an acceptable seat. A blond reapplying her lipstick looks briefly up from her mirror as I pass by. A nerdy guy shifts uncomfortably and a jock assesses my potential athletic ability. Joke's on him, the last time I tossed a baseball was when I was ten. I settle for an empty seat near the back next to a pretty red head.

"Dean Winchester," I say to her. She smiles quickly and tells me her name is Anna. I nod, hoping the action will seal the name in my brain. The bell rings, signaling the start of class. I turn my attention Mrs. Williams as she starts prattling off information about assignments and the upcoming unit, which was to be poetry. I couldn't stop the exasperated moan from leaving my lips. There was not much on this earth I hated more than poetry, and I hate a lot of things. Unfortunately, it was heard by the old woman, who I expected to have far worse hearing than the usual teacher. She turned her focus to me, ready to most likely publicly embarrass me.

"And before I forget, we have a new st-" Mrs. Williams did not get a chance to introduce me to the class. Bang! The door to the classroom swings open and hits against the wall. The blond lets out a sharp squeak and has the bad luck to smear her lipstick across her face, giving her a Joker-esque look. I can't say I wasn't startled as a bedraggled boy burst into the class. His face was wild, his eyes wide and bright. "Oh, for God's sake! This is the third time you're late this month Mr. Novak." He mumbled a quiet apology. "What was I saying? Right, this poetry project will be worth 35% of your grade…"

He took his cue to head towards his chair. Coincidentally, I was in his seat. He stopped short of the desk. We stared at each other for a brief few seconds. I silently cursed Anna for not warning me the space was reserved. I thought that he might fight me for this spot or make big deal of it as every other douche has before. Instead, he shrugged and slipped into the seat to the left of me. Relief sprouted inside of me.

Mrs. Williams had shaken off the incident and droned on about symbolism and how the color blue has so many implications. I chose to not shake it off so quickly as I fell into inattentiveness.

I walked into the noisy lunch room, or, as the school called it, the "Commons". I pushed through hoards of perpetually hungry adolescents to get to Sam. There were more students in this school than the usual seven hundred populations I was used to. I sat down across from him with a thud, my body glad for the rest. "How goes it, little bro?" I asked as I swiped a roll from his tray. I didn't particularly trust school lunches. I far preferred diners and food I had prepared myself, even if it was just something I put in the microwave at the motel.

Sam shrugged. His face was too stuffed with salad to answer me properly, so the shoulders would suffice. I didn't quite understand how there was so much room in tiny Sam's stomach. Maybe he was due for a growth spurt. I hoped not, I liked being taller than him. I nodded in response. "Yeah. But at least it's only for two weeks."

He finally swallowed with a big gulp and said, "You didn't sound all that optimistic this morning." I picked off a piece of the roll and popped it into my mouth quickly. "I mean, you usually aren't that angry with Dad."

"I just hate when we come to Illinois. Something about the state, I guess," I said in hopes of appeasing Sam. I actually liked Illinois. The real reason I had been upset with Dad was that he had denied my offer to do this hunt. He didn't give me the specifics of the case, but he said it too much for me. I suspected it had more to do with him wanting me to watchdog Sam while he made the most of the public school system than with wanting to save my health, but I would never say that to Sammy.

Sam either didn't pick up on the lie or was too hungry to care because he went on to form the perfect bite and shovel it into his mouth. 'It has to be a perfect ratio of lettuce to crouton to dressing,' he always said. I was supposed to say, 'Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Sammy,' and shove some decidedly less nutritional food into my face. So that's what I did.


	2. Chapter 2

"I want summaries for each of the main causes of the war done and ready by Thurdsday," said Mr. Kinman. His instructions were met with the cries of overworked teenagers. I think I heard someone behind me call for a revolt. I rolled my eyes. I tended not to care about homework since A. I wasn't going to be wherever long enough to have consequences for not doing it and B. Sam loved to do research and typically did all of my assignments.

The bell signaling the end of history and third period silenced their chorus of complaints. I collected my papers and book and shoved them into my backpack, not particularly concerned about what shape they would be in when I pulled them out again. I avoided the glances of the ever curious students as I turned into the highway that is the hallways. I'd been to a few outdoor schools in my lifetime and I know for a fact that they are far superior to the confusing jumble of walls and people that form hallways.

I followed the crush of kids until it dispersed nicely into the cafeteria. I surveyed the room, looking for Sam whose long hair usually made him easy to spot. I spotted him at a different table than the one from the day before. This in itself was odd because we usually set up camp at the same table everyday for our short careers at any school. I also noticed Sam was sitting with other people. Not just one nerdy guy who got picked on like Sam usually sticks with, but a couple who looked like they were plenty popular and didn't need the help of little ol' Sammy.

I remained cautious as I sat down at the rectangular table. Sam looked up at me as I was sitting down. He smiled. "Hey, Dean! How's the second day going?" I stared at him, trying to decide whether or not it was possible that a shape shifter had gotten a hold of my dear, sweet, socially awkward brother. I flicked my eyes to the boy and girl and then back to Sam, an eyebrow cocked. "Oh! This is Ruby and Gabriel. Ruby, Gabriel, this is Dean—my brother."

I looked back at them. The girl had dark brown hair, almost a red tint. Her eyes were a dark brown. She looked to be about Sam's age and was quite beautiful. The boy was thin and tall, his hair on the lengthier side and flipping out at the ends. They stared expectantly at me. Gabriel had a slight smirk on his face that seemed to never go away. "Right," I said and nodded. "Uhm, Sam can I talk to you briefly?" Sam shrugged and scraped back his chair. We left our backpacks and our companions at the table for an alcove that must've once held a water fountain a few yards away.

"What's up?" he said.

"What are you doing with them?" My tone was sharp.

"They're cool. I had math with them and they invited me to join them for lunch. Gabriel is a sophomore and she's my age."

"I don't care. It's the second day and you're already abandoning me?"

"Abandoning you? You were sitting right next to me!" Sam became quickly defensive.

"Look, I'm just getting a creepy vibe from them."

"You're mad because you're getting a weird _vibe_ from them? What, are your hunter senses tingling?"

I tried not to be insulted. I clenched my fists. Sam hated the family business and I couldn't really blame him. To him, it was just saving people. To Dad and I, it was avenging. Sam never got to know Mom or mourn her death. "I'm suspicious, that's all."

"They're my friends," Sam stated.

"You just met them! You don't anything about either of them!"

"Who gives a crap! Jesus, just let me be normal for once." Sam started to walk away, but I grabbed his jacket. I wasn't done talking about this. He ripped away from my grip. "Get over it," he snapped at me. Sam stomped back to the table and immediately immersed himself in a story Gabriel was telling.

I resisted punching the wall behind me and walked back over to the table. I didn't say anything as I grabbed my backpack and slammed the chair back against the table. I stormed out of the Commons and into the hallways, quietly cursing Sam as I went.

My eyes were blinded by white hot anger. I couldn't decide where to go. I didn't remember where the bathroom was and I couldn't go back into the cafeteria. I walked hard and fast to nowhere until _BAM!_ I was on the ground. My head took on the full brunt of the fall as it clapped against the linoleum. I sat up, slightly dizzy and beyond confused. I closed my eyes in fear of the brightness. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and I was late for lunch and I should've been paying attention and holy crap, I'm sososo sorry," the voice of someone I had not yet identified was crouched next to me. I was still seeing stars. The person breathed deeply, "Are you okay?"

My eyes opened and I blinked a few times to look up into two perfectly ice blue eyes. I recognized them immediately. The offender was none other than Mr. Novak from my English class. "Yeah, yeah I'm good. I've had worse," I tried to smile a little bit to show him it was okay. He looked skeptical. "No, really. Just a flesh wound," I changed my voice to imitate and English accent. That got a small smile out of him. "You going to help me up or do you just wanna stay down here forever?"

He sighed and rocked back on his heels before standing up. His hand stretched out for me to take. I pulled myself up and waivered slightly on my feet. Novak grabbed my arm to steady me. I brushed him off and took a step back. I liked my personal space. "Sorry," he said again and ran a hand through his dark, almost black hair.

"It's fine, uh… Mr. Novak." His eyes lit up.

"Oh! I forgot, you're new here. I'm Castiel."

"Castiel? Do your parents hate you?"

He shrugged. "It's an angel name." It was no angel I had ever heard of. Not that I was religious or anything, but I don't remember ever hearing a Castiel mentioned. "Right, well, I'm going to call you Cas. I'm Dean." He nodded and put his hands in his jeans. It was quiet for a few seconds. He didn't strike me as overly talkative.

"You should probably go to the nurse. You might have a concussion." I shook my head, which caused the dizziness to come back and possibly prove his point. He didn't appear to notice. "Well, at least eat lunch with me at my table so I know you won't keel over once I leave."

"Yeah, sure." I walked with him back through the halls, heading towards the Commons. He didn't say anything and I didn't feel like talking. My head hurt too much.


End file.
